This invention relates generally to a plumbing fixture supply assembly for installation in a wall of a building structure. Particularly, this invention relates to a plumbing fixture supply assembly for aligning and joining plumbing components to form a valve connection structure. More particularly, the invention relates to a valve outlet assembly having a curvilinear or rounded housing configuration for enclosing a valve structure and having cooperating alignment and mounting assemblies to secure the valve outlet assembly within a building structure.
Appliances and plumbing fixtures such as icemakers, sinks, toilets, dishwashers, water softeners, washing machines, faucets, water outlets, spigots and the like, require connection to one or more waterlines provided by the plumbing in the building structure. Thus, a shut-off valve for a water supply line may be provided for connection and use to the plumbing fixture or appliance.
The plumbing fixture supply assembly or valve outlet assembly of the present invention provides a housing enclosure design which may be aligned and mounted within a building wall in a variety of configurations. The fixture assembly is constructed and arranged to connect a water supply to a valve structure for connecting to a plumbing fixture or to a waterline which extends to an appliance. Importantly, the curvalinear housing enclosure has cooperating alignment and mounting assemblies which provide for the easy installation of the valve outlet assembly housing enclosure within the wall of a building.
In the prior art, appliance water connections, such as in icemaker connections, for example, waterlines extending to the refrigerator were often tapped from nearby water pipes and coiled behind the refrigerator, for example. This plumbing arrangements potentially result in damaged and leaking water lines and the inability to easily locate shutoff valves should a leaking waterline be encountered. Regarding faucet and toilet hookups, for example, shut off valves are often mounted to the outside of the finished wall. These arrangements show holes in the wall are visually unattractive and the exposed valves and line extensions are unprotected and thus, subject to damage. Although housing structures have been proposed for connecting various waterlines, i.e., for washing machines and icemakers, the prior art housing structures have typically been limited in the manner in which they are aligned and mounted within a building wall.
The valve outlet assembly of the present invention overcomes the limitations and shortcomings of the prior art connector housing structures by providing a space saving functional housing enclosure having alignment and mounting assemblies which permit the valve outlet assembly to be aligned and secured within a building wall in a variety of ways.
The valve outlet assembly of the invention provides a housing enclosure structure with a frontal opening and having at least one aperture for interconnecting a shut-off valve to a plumbing fixture or appliance. The housing enclosure has a rounded or curvilinear configuration and cooperating means to align and mount the housing enclosure assembly to a building structure, such as to a vertical stud, or the like. The housing enclosure assembly has a valve structure mounted therein and is constructed and arranged to interconnect a water supply line to the plumbing fixture or appliance.
The assembly housing is preferably a unitary molded housing enclosure containing a valve structure mounted to the bottom panel of the housing, for example. The valve structure is connected to a downwardly extending threaded conduit fixture and a water line may be connected to the valve structure outlet. The shut-off valve structure may have a compression fitting, a threaded connection or the like to easily accept a flexible water line for extension from the valve structure.
The valve outlet assembly of the invention has a curvilinear housing enclosure which incorporates alignment and mounting structures that enable the outlet assembly to be secured in a wall, i.e., attached to studs or other structural wall members. Specifically, the valve outlet assembly may have an alignment and mounting system on each side of the housing enclosure. One alignment and mounting system comprises a pair of reinforced angled tabs or alignment guides, each holding a fastener, such as a nail, screw or other fastening device for securely fastening the assembly to a building component and the other alignment and mounting system comprises a tab with apertures for securing the assembly in an alternative manner.
The housing enclosure preferably has a curved rear wall and rounded shoulders which merge into the rounded rear wall, i.e., a sectional cylindrical structure with end walls. The alignment members permit the housing enclosure to be secured to a stud, for example, as if the housing enclosure was rectangular in structure. The opposing pair of alignment members provide for the housing enclosure to be mounted in a square and flush configuration by means of either the captive fasteners on one side or by means of screw, nails or other fastening means by the tab on the other or opposite side.
The invention provides space saving, functional housing enclosure having at least one cooperating alignment and mounting assembly which permits the valve outlet assembly to be mounted in several ways within a building wall. An adjustable and removable cover structure is provided to enable the housing enclosure to be mounted in a desired manner and to have the cover structure compensate for the depth of the housing within the finished wall.
The alignment and mounting structures of the assembly provides an installer, such as a plumber, with a choice of easy installation to accommodate the building environment, i.e., whether a vertical stud, wall covering, a bracket, or the like.
These and other benefits of this invention will become apparent from the following description by reference to the drawings.